Wire-stretcher.



W. W. IDLE.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION man MAR. 4, 1916.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

WH LTEFZ \DLE nu: NORRIS Farms ca. VNOTD-LITNQ. wAsmNcroN. u. c.

pnrrnn WALTER 1V. IDLE, F URBANA, OHIO.

WIRE-STRETUHER.

Application filed March 4t, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VALTER W. IDLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Urbana, in the county of Champaign and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful linproveiiients in Wire-Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved wire stretcher, and has for itsprimary ohject to provide a very simple and easily operated means forstretching a fence wire.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a device forthe above purpose, including means for clamping the device upon a fencepost, a slidably mount ed support, wire clamping means arranged uponsaid support, and manually operable means for shifting the support andthereby stretching the wire.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide operating meansfor the shiftable wire clamp, which includes an oscillatable lever, andmeans for moving said clamp in the same direction in the oscillatingmovement of the leverin either direction where by the wire may bequickly stretched.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a wire stretchingmeans which is simple and durable in its construction, may be operatedwith a minimum of manual labor, and is capable of manufacture atrelatively small cost.

ll ith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and "angement of parts to behereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved wire stretcher showing the sameas applied in operative position to a fence post;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4l4:

of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing the means for actuating themovable clamping jaw.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5

designates the cylindrical body bar or rod which is provided upon oneend with the integral, laterally extending, spaced plates 6, and alongitudinally pro ecting, curved Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net. l3, lair.

Serial No. 82,199.

jaw extending from the end of the rod 5 beyond said plates. Between thespaced plates 6, a movable clamping jaw 8 is mount ed upon the pivot pin9. This jaw is provided with a shank portion extending between theplates, which has a series of cog teeth 10 formed upon its end. A leverll. is also pivotally mounted. at one end, as at 12, between the plates(5 and is similarly formed with a series of cog teeth 13 meshing withthe teeth 10 of the movable clamping jaw. The jaws 7 and 8 are adaptedto be disposed upon opposite sides of a cylindrical steel corner postsuch as is now commonly used in the erection of wire fences, and whenthe lever 11 is forced inwardly toward the cylindrical body bar 5, thejaw 8 is also moved inwardly toward. the fixed jaw 7 and into clampingengagement upon the post. An elongated link, indicated at 14, ispivotally connected to the end of the lever 11 and is adapted to beswung over the end of the rod 5 so as to hold the lever against movementand retain the jaw 8 in its clamping position.

Upon the cylindrical rod 5, the sliding support 15 is mounted, saidsupport including spaced parallel bars 16 disposed upon opposite sidesof the rod 5 and in spaced relation thereto. One end of this support isformed with an angularly disposed lug 17, and adjacent to this lug theclamping cam 19 is pivoted, as indicated at 20. In the edge of this cammember, gripping teeth 20 are formed and are ad aptcd to bite into afence wire arranged between the cam and the lug 17. In this manner, itwill be apparent that the wire to be stretched may be very easily andquickly connected to the sliding support.

The arms 22 of a forked lever 2i straddle the cylindrical rod 5 andextend between the ars 16 of the support .15. These arms are mountedupon the pivot pins or screws centrally secured in the respective bars16 of the support. Upon each side of the forked lever, a ring or annulus52a is loosely engaged upon the rod 5, and to each of these rings linksand respectively, are pivotally connected at one of their ends. The otler ends of these links are pivotally held between the arn s of theforked lever upon relatively opposite sides of the rod a A coil s 'iring2? is loz'isely engaged upon the rod, 5 between one of the rings 2t andthe lever 21, and a similar spring 28 is disposer In thee-peration ofthe device, the same is first clamped upon the fence post in the mannerabove refe'rrel to, and the end of the wire is then securely clamped tothe movable support 15'by means of the cam member 19. The operator nowoscillates the lever In the movement of this lever in one direction, thelink 26 will serve as the fulcrum, the ring to which said link isconnected having frictional biting engagement upon the rod and remainingstationary thereon while upon the rod with the support. When themovement of the lever is reversed, the other link 26 becomes the fulcrumfor the lever and the Support and the ring or annulus 2st which wasformerly stationary is shifted upon the rod 5 in the same direction asformerly. Thus, the movement of the sliding support progressesoutwardlytoward the end of the rod, such mo ement being limited by a stop pin orkey indicated at 80, which is inserted through an openin in the end ofthe rod The finger piece 29 may now be pressed inwardly toward theoperating lever and said lever, together with the support, again shiftedinwardly upon the rod and posi tioned for the attachment of anotherfence wire, when the operation above described. may be'repeated.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the construction, manner-of operation and several advantages ofmy invention will be clearly and fully understood. The support providedwith the clamping means for the wire may be turned upon the rod 5 anddisposed in the most convenient position for the manipulation of thelever 21. The simple construction of the device renders the same highlydurable in practical use and capable of easy and quick application ortransportation from place to place.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred construction andarrangement of the several elements, it is, of course, to be understoodthat the same is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I,therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changesas may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the inventionas claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is l. A wire stretcher including a supportingrod and means for clamping the rod to a. fence post, a slide membermounted, on they rod having parallel portions disposed on opposite sidesof the rod and integrally connected at their ends, an operating leverpi\ otally mounted bet-ween the parallel portions of the slide member,rings engaged upon the rod on relatively opposite sides of the lever andadapted to frictionally engage said rod. links pivotally connected tothe rings and to said lever upon relatively opposite sides of its pivot,and wire clamping means carried by the slide member.

2. A. wire stretcher including a supporting rod provided with means forclamping the same to a fence post, a slide member on said rod havingparallel portions extending longitudinally on opposite sides of the rod,an operating lever pivotally mounted between the parallel portions ofthe slide member, rings engaged upon the rod on relatively 'op JOSitesides of the lever and at approximately equal distances therefrom, linksconnecting the rings to the lever 011 relatively opposite sides of itspivot, a spring (lislme'ecd between one of the rings and the lever and asecond spring disposed between the other lever and one end of the slidemember, said springs yieldingly holding the rings in trio tionalengagement with the rod, and "ire clamping means on one end of saidslide member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses. lVALTEIl \V. IDLE. Witnesses Aivmznw Dr: Beaten, B. A.TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, I). C.

